Ireland finally ended their long wait for victory at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, beating West Indies by six wickets in Bristol on Saturday to register their first win in the tournament after a 21-match losing streak spanning 12 years.The result not only marked a historic milestone for Ireland but also had a major impact on the semi-finals. A win would ensure West Indies’ place in the semi-finals. Instead, the defeat gave defending champions New Zealand a glimmer of hope. The White Ferns will now qualify for the semi-finals if they beat England later on Saturday, while an England win would still see West Indies advance.Ireland’s victory capped a memorable weekend for the country after they beat India for the first time in a T20I in Belfast.After restricting West Indies to 128/7, Ireland chased down the target with 11 balls to spare. Orla Prendergast once again delivered a match-winning performance as she sealed the innings with a brilliant 63 off 44 deliveries. Her batting put Ireland firmly in control, but she left the field just short of 21 runs.Rebecca Stockell and Louise Little kept their composure in the closing stages, with the latter pushing the winning boundary at mid-on to seal the famous victory as Ireland finished at 129/4.Earlier, West Indies struggled to build momentum after being sent to bat and managed just 128/7 despite starting with several batsmen. Ireland’s disciplined bowling and sharp defending ensured the Caribbean side could never get off the pace, leaving them with a below-par defensive total.
